Richards excited ahead of season climax

Gary Richards reckons Swansea City Under-23s should be proud of their progress going into what promises to be an exciting final stretch of the season.

The young Swans’ Premier League Cup title defence is still alive as they prepare to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the quarter-finals of the competition at Landore on Friday.

Meanwhile, having gained promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 at the end of last season, they are currently third in the table and two points off the top with two games remaining.

The conclusion to the Swans’ league campaign sees them take on Arsenal at the Emirates on April 13, before playing Sunderland at the Liberty nine days later.

Richards believes the players have come a long way since the start of the campaign - and says they are excited ahead of the final push.

“We took so much from the cup run last year and this year has been another good experience for the players,” he said.

“If you’d said at the start of the season that, with at least three games to go in all competitions, we’d be where we are in the league, through to the Premier League Cup quarter-finals and playing two stadium games, then we’d have been very happy.

“All the players and staff are really looking forward to what’s coming up.”